The best 12 examples of sales promotion for your store

Much has been said about “making promotions,” but little is mentioned about the types of promotions that exist and why some work so well 🤑

For this article, I took the time to thoroughly research the types of sales promotions, when to use them and how the brands that convert best online do it. Additionally, I analyzed 12 real promotion examples with the help of the team at YaVendió!, experts in e-commerce sales.

So if you're looking for fresh ideas for your next promotion or simply want to understand how to do a promo right, stay tuned. This will be very useful for you 💪

To begin, what are sales promotions?

Sales promotions are specific strategies used by brands to encourage purchases. They can be discounts, gifts, combos, coupons, or even raffles.

But beware: it's not just about “lowering prices,” but about creating a clear impulse for the customer to act now.

Well thought out, they help you increase sales, attract new customers, retain existing ones, move inventory, and even position your brand in the consumer's mind. 

What types of promotions exist?

There are various types of promotions you can use depending on your business goals. Remember that sales promotions are powerful tools if you know how to use them strategically, not just impulsively.

Sales promotions based on the objective

First, identify what you aim to achieve by offering a promo. Here I share these types of promotion according to your main objective:

Increase sales 💸

If your goal is to generate more sales quickly, time-limited promotions or aggressive discounts may be the answer. These promotions work because they create a sense of urgency and motivate people to make quick purchase decisions.

For example:

• Flash sales for 24 hours: “Today only: 25% off everything in the store until 11:59 p.m. Don't miss it!”

Customer loyalty 🥰

Promotions such as rewards programs or exclusive offers for members are perfect when aiming to build long-term relationships with your customers. With these, you not only encourage purchases but also keep customers engaged with your brand.

For example: 

• Birthday discount: “Happy birthday! 🎉 We give you 15% OFF to use throughout your month.”

Attract new customers 🎯

If your goal is to expand your customer base, referral promotions or coupons for first purchases are ideal. You can increase traffic to your store by offering a discount for recommending friends or giving a gift for the first purchase ;)

For example: 

• First purchase discount: “First time here? We offer you 10% OFF just for signing up 🥳”

Move inventory or clearances 🛒

“Buy one and get one” promotions or volume discounts are particularly useful when you need to get rid of old inventory or sell large quantities of products quickly.

For example:

• Season clearance: “End the season with crazy discounts. Up to 60% OFF on selected items!”

Create brand awareness 📢

In this case, partnerships with other brands or contests and giveaways on social media can help you increase your business's visibility, generate conversation, and attract a wider audience.

For example: 

• Collaborations with influencers or local brands: “Special launch with Butrich: limited edition available only this week.”

Now that you have identified your objective, let's analyze the 12 most effective types of promotions for online stores - I include real promotion examples that will help you understand how to apply them.

The 12 most effective types of promotions for online stores (with real examples)

If you're wondering what kind of promotions you can do to sell more, this section is for you.

Together with the team at YaVendió, I have gathered and analyzed the 12 most effective types of promotions for businesses that sell online:

• Limited-time discounts

• Free shipping from a certain amount

• 2x1 or 3x2 promotions

• Checkout discount coupons

• Purchase gifts

• Referral programs

• Exclusive discounts for subscribers

• Seasonal promotions 

• Interest-free months

• Volume pricing

• Partnerships and cross promotions

• Discounts for mentions

Whether you have a virtual store, a business on social media, sell through WhatsApp or another online platform, you can be inspired by this selection of the best promotion examples. Let's look at them in detail.

1.- Limited-time discounts

The most classic promo... and one of the most effective! It's about offering a discount for a short period of time to encourage quick purchases. 

The campaign by SuperPet “Holiday Mode” is a great example for this sales promotion. The well-known online store for food and pet care launched discounts valid only for one week and ending on the Easter holidays. 

SuperPet knows its audience and understood that on holidays, pet owners might go on trips out of town or face difficulties getting products for their pets. So, they invited them to prepare with these discounts.

2.- Free shipping from a certain amount

A simple yet powerful offer: if the customer buys more, they don't pay for shipping! This tactic encourages filling the cart a bit more and improves the average ticket without needing to offer a direct discount.

For this promotion example, we have Cuidafarma.pe that launched a summer campaign with free delivery for surpassing a purchase amount through their website:

3.- 2x1 or 3x2 promotions

“Get more for less” is an irresistible formula. The classic 2x1 or 3x2 is perfect for moving inventory, especially for fast rotation or trendy products.

For example, Tambo, the convenience store chain in Peru, offered a promotion of “pay for 2 and take 3” in their beer category over a weekend. All of this was exclusive for purchases through their website and mobile app. 

This sales promotion example also demonstrates a high consideration of its target audience who are highly digital young adults.

4.- Checkout discount coupons

A promotional coupon can speed up the purchase process and turn an undecided visitor into a happy customer. It can even encourage people who have never been to your store to make their first purchase.

Communicate it on your digital channels or keep it as a surprise coupon for those arriving at checkout.

For this type of promotion, the example comes with Samsung. They shared a discount coupon during their “Sale Days” campaign - exclusive for home appliance products like refrigerators and washing machines.

5.- Purchase gifts

Who doesn't like to receive something extra? Whether it's a sample, a complementary product, or a brand detail, this type of promotion creates good vibes with the customer and adds more value to their purchase.

An example of this promo is PuroSnacks that during Christmas gave away a snack from their main chocolate category in all orders of the season

6.- Referral programs

Turn your customers into your best sellers. With a referral program, you reward those who recommend you and attract new customers without investing in ads. It's like digital word of mouth, but with a prize for your most enthusiastic customers.

For example, Tiendamia launched a referral program where both the referrer and their friends receive a credit for future purchases on their website.

7.- Exclusive discounts for subscribers

Make your followers feel VIP! Offering promos only for those on your email or WhatsApp list is a way to reward loyalty and keep your community more active than ever.

Tottus knows how to perfectly apply this promotion and often sends exclusive discounts to subscribers' emails. It's very useful for generating purchases from customers who haven't bought in a while or to show how valuable a customer is to your brand.

8.- Seasonal promotions or campaigns 

Take advantage of key calendar dates (Christmas, Black Friday, Valentines) to launch special offers. Consumers are already in “shopping mode,” they just need a good excuse to choose your store.

Buscalibre, the online bookstore, uses this type of promotions in every commercial date. Therefore, it is the ideal example of a seasonal sales promotion.  

In the last Black Friday, Buscalibre launched incredible discounts with an aggressive campaign both by email and on social media.

They not only relied on the discount but applied the sense of urgency by highlighting “the last hours” and offered free shipping. An irresistible promotion for book lovers.

9.- Interest-free months

The “interest-free months” promotion is ideal for high-ticket products. The option of interest-free installment payments can be the difference between closing a sale and a “I'll think about it.” It's about giving the customer more flexibility and confidence to make the purchase.

For example, Nikon Center Chile, offered up to 12 interest-free installments on all their products just before Christmas holidays. For this, customers had to pay with Webpay on their website. An strategic promotion from every angle!

10.- Volume pricing

In this type of promo, customers pay less the more they buy and it works great for wholesalers or to encourage group purchases. In addition, it helps you move stock faster if you need to refresh your catalog for upcoming campaigns.

See how Merqueo does it, a 100% digital supermarket with presence in Colombia and Mexico. On their anniversary, they implemented a volume pricing strategy and offered discounts on products like eggs and milk when bought in quantities. 

11.- Partnerships and cross promotions

Partnering with another store or business allows you to expand your reach and offer attractive combos. Ensure both have complementary products and similar audiences. Think of it this way: Two brands, one promo, and everyone wins (even the algorithm!) 

An example of this sales promotion is Netzun x Linio. Both brands in the tech industry formed an alliance to create this Cyber promo: “Buy at Linio and get a free Netzun course.”

If you notice, both brands benefit and have complementary offers for the tech audience. While Linio sells a laptop, Netzun gains a student for its platform.

12.- Discounts for social media mentions

Encourage your customers to share their experience with your brand on Instagram or TikTok. In return, give them a coupon for their next purchase or a gift. It’s an organic and economical way to gain visibility. Plus, you get user-generated content which is always good for your brand’s reputation.

In this case, The Innovation Boutique gives us an example with its promotion “Share and Win.” To participate, customers need to share a video of their experience with products on social media and win credit. Simple and impactful!

When to do promotions in your online store?

You should know there isn't a single answer to when it’s best to launch promotions, but there are strategic moments where they can make a big difference in your sales. 

These are the best moments to launch your sales promotions:

• The key e-commerce dates: Days like Black Friday, Cyber Wow, or Christmas are perfect opportunities to apply various sales promotions that take advantage of high traffic and consumer's purchasing desire.

  
  

• Product or collection launches: A special promo (like an exclusive discount or a purchase gift) can generate anticipation and speed up conversion.

  
  

• The slow seasons or end of month: Not everything is about big events. When sales tend to drop, you can use creative promotions to reignite interest. 

  
  

• Near quarter-end closing, it's common for many online stores to apply clearance campaigns or strategic offers to reach their objectives.

In any of these cases, the important thing is to be clear about what types of promotions exist and how to adapt them to your store and your commercial goals.

How to plan and do sales promotions?

Step 1: Identify your goal

Before launching any promotion, ask yourself: “what do I want to achieve?” It's not the same to attract new customers as to retain those you already have. You might also want to clear inventory, increase the average ticket, or simply make noise with your brand.

Having clarity on your objective is what will allow you to choose the appropriate type of promotion and then measure if it worked or not. This is the starting point for everything that follows, don't skip it!

Step 2: Choose the promotion and define how it will work

Once you know your goal, choose a promo that will help you reach it. For example: if you want to move stock, a 2x1 or “last units with discount” might work. Check out the 12 examples of sales promotions we developed above to find the one you need.

Here you should also define the terms and conditions of the promotion: Is there a minimum amount?, Does it apply to certain products?, Are there restrictions? The clearer the rules, the fewer doubts your customers will have and the better the shopping experience will be.

Step 3: Decide how you will communicate your promotion

A promotion is useless if no one knows about it. For this reason, you must decide where and how you will communicate it. Think about the channels where your customers interact most: social media, email, banners on your website, or WhatsApp.

Even if you already use WhatsApp as a sales channel, you can make even more use of it with an artificial intelligence (AI) virtual seller, like those of YaVendió! The AI can sell your products automatically via WhatsApp and even mention your promos at strategic moments in the conversation.

💡 Learn why more online businesses are choosing YaVendió! to automate their sales.

Step 4: Prepare your marketing resources

It's time to translate your promotion strategy into concrete pieces. The copies should be clear, brief, and persuasive; the banners must highlight the essentials of the promo; and if you use a landing page, it should be straightforward: without distractions and with a prominent buy button.

Think of every resource as part of the customer's journey. Everything should lead them from attention to action.

Step 5: Launch, measure, and adjust

Upon launching your promotion, don't neglect measurement. Monitor metrics from day 1 and analyze your results upon completion: How many people took advantage of the promo?, Did sales increase?, Did it bring new leads?

Every promotion is an opportunity to learn. Adjust what didn't work, repeat what did, and gradually, build a sales strategy that not only looks good but truly sells.

Create your winning promo!

By applying the right types of promotions, you can turn a casual visit into a purchase... and a purchase into a long-term relationship.

You already have the examples, the ideas, and the guide to put it into practice. Now the most important thing is missing: take action. Your best promo starts today 😉